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Debbie Dujanovic ReportingAn Eyewitness News Investigation about a church program takes a new twist tonight. The Pastor is already accused of paying men as little as 28-cents an hour, putting them to work at his private company, threatening them with jail. The State announced plans to shut down the program. So what else could possibly surface?
We told you about the House of Refuge program last night. The program promises to teach men Christian values, give them a place to live, while they turn their lives around. The new allegation against Pastor Steve Sandlin: assault.
Pastor Sandlin: "You're a criminal and you have no better sense."
James Auston, Former House of Refuge Client: "Okay."
Pastor Sandlin: "You're ungodly."
That's just part of what's on an audio tape we have from the program. There's more.
The state intends to shut down a program inside the pastor's church, called the House of Refuge, citing 13-violations. One of them, Pastor Sandlin allegedly assaulted one of the men in the program. The police took a report, then Pastor Sandlin is accused of pressuring him to withdraw his story or go back to jail.
We called the Pastor , who says the abuse allegation isn't true. Dave Wimmer says he saw it.
Dave Wimmer, Former House of Refuge Client: "Me and a couple of other guys jumped up, and that's when a bunch of shouting went on."
James Auston says he was assaulted by the pastor.
James Auston: "He shoved me in the corner and got back in my face again, and he told me,'I'll make the rules around here and you will call me sir.'"
What happened later? Auston says he caught it on tape when he took a recorder into a meeting with the Pastor.
Pastor Sandlin: "Here's your choice. You call the detective in the presence of everyone here, and say you know, 'I made a mistake, I did not, he did not shove me. If you can do that, or if you refuse and be stubborn and continue to lie, I will call your PO and tell him you falsified a police document.'"
Pastor Sandlin: "You're not an attorney."
James Auston: "Okay."
Pastor Sandlin: "You're not an attorney. You have a choice. You're going back to jail because of this."
He didn't go back to jail. The court system authorized him to get into a new program. The prosecutor's office confirms it's investigating criminal complaints. We'll keep you posted.
